Discussions between farmers and advisers regarding the development of plans for the new ACRES programme are typically centred on improving the prospect of plans being accepted in tranche one and maximising the payment rate.

It is pretty easy to increase the payment rate on paper by utilising measures such as planting new hedgerows or trees or selecting the winter bird food plot option, but the challenge with doing this is weighing up the benefit after compliance costs have been taken in to account.

In GLAS, many farmers opted for the wild bird cover measure as it greatly enhanced their chances of being accepted in to the scheme. This is not an option for ACRES and the equivalent option being considered is planting a minimum of 100 trees.

Some farmers who have farms suitable to generate significant payments from measures with a lower compliance cost, such as extensive grazing, for example, are happy to take on this significant measure with the knowledge that it will improve their chances of gaining entry.

For highly stocked farmers on good-quality land this is not an option, however, and advisers report a lukewarm reception from farmers in more productive farming areas.

Cost-benefit analysis

Regardless of the area, every farmer should closely scrutinise the measures under consideration and complete a cost-benefit analysis.

For the winter bird food plot, for example, the costs of sowing the crop could be in the region of 60% to 70% of the overall payment without allowing for the opportunity cost of having this area out of production.

When it comes to planting trees or a new hedgerow, for example, consideration needs to be given to site suitability, if works can be easily completed and if fencing costs are going to be significant.

Michael Eustace from Ask Me Landscaping in Co Carlow predicts that costs for planting new hedgerows will be in the region of €6/m to over €10/m, including VAT, depending on aspects such as if a single or double row is being planted and site suitability.

These costs include new requirements to plant native plant species and weed control but not fencing. This can range anywhere from €1.50/m for a simple single strand of electric wire to upwards of €6/m for sheep fencing and higher if wildlife is a challenge. He predicts that costs to plant trees will be in the region of €6/tree for trees planted with a tree protector and staked as required under the specification.

The advice for those applying is to draw up a budget of payments and offset the costs with measures such as new hedgerows or tree planting typically accounting for two years’ payment for that measure.